Rainbow Crossing
by idioticonion
Summary: Captain Hammer finally watches Doctor Horribles last blog entry. Set after Act III. Based on the song Rainbow Crossing by Rufus Wainwright.


**Rainbow Crossing**

It wasn't murdering Penny that got Dr Horrible into the Evil League of Evil, despite what most people thought. The League had figured out that Horrible hadn't killed her intentionally. Captain Hammer knew that it was the last and final entry into his blog that had got the Doctor his membership. And in the nine months since that fateful day at the homeless shelter, Hammer had never watched it. Now, today, on the evening of their final confrontation, he finally did.

Oh, he'd heard about the notorious blog entry, of course. And, actually, his damn shrink had advised him to watch the thing over the summer. But after reading the transcript, Hammer could never bring himself to watch the triumphant, smirking, weasel-assed face crowing out those hateful words.

Still…

He thumbed on his laptop with clumsy gloved fingers (now he'd finally pulled the gauntlets back on, he was reluctant to take them off lest he lose his nerve), grabbed the mouse and clicked on the link.

The screen fired up - the view he'd dozens of times before. The amateur mad-scientist's apartment (e.g. sad nerdy nerd) and the be-goggled Doctor himself.

But the trademark white labcoat was gone, replaced by a scarlet twin. Horrible scowled into the camera, unblinkingly, unhesitatingly.

Hammer finally understood what they said about Dr Horrible. He was a true villain. This was no wannabe. Not any more.

"Well," Horrible said, without preamble. "Since you're my nemesis, I'm gonna give you some time." The Doctor stared into the screen, beyond it; through it, seemingly. "When I kill you, I don't want you buckled down with regret. I want you standing tall, straight as a _f--king_ evergreen." Hammer winced at the cuss word. Really? Was that necessary.

He paused the video so that Horrible's face was twisted into a grimace and studied him. Red-rimmed, glassy eyes, lack of focus, swearing… Was Dr Horrible drunk? That was a joke! Horrible had gotten into the Evil League of Evil for making a drunken, cussing, revenge-blog? Hammer rolled his eyes. What in the hell had he been scared of for all these months? This was just a man. A sad, lonely geek who he'd kicked in the family jewels more times than the Doctor had eaten microwave dinners.

Hammer chuckled at his own joke and hit "play" on the video.

"-evergreen." Horrible took a deep breath. "So brace yourself. You whole world is about to be set on spin-cycle. Because I," he pointed awkwardly at his own chest, "I am finally on the right side of this legend. Those who have the sense to fear me _know_ that I am the new force in town and you," he pointed outwards, towards the camera, "are nothing more than a broken tool."

Hammer frowned. Little bastard was mocking him.

"So you stay there, Captain Hammer. You find someone to fix you up. And in the meantime I will be free to pursue my one true love… crime!" Horrible threw his head back and let out an evil laugh. "And later on… when you're ready… I'll be waiting for you on the superhero memorial bridge. Yeah, I'll be there, standing over that river. So… beware!"

Hammer jolted back as Horrible stuck his face right up close to the camera.

"Remember… superhero memorial bridge. I'll be the one in the red coat. You'll be the one crapping your pants." Horrible's voice dropped to a whisper, each word branded with hatred. "And I'll see the fear in your eyes just before I send you off to meet your maker." As Horrible's voice dropped down lower, Hammer had to strain to hear him. "I hear Valhalla ain't what it used to be…"

Then something changed in Horrible's eyes - they darkened, like the shadow of a storm cloud over a blue sky. Even thought Hammer knew what was coming, his stomach turned to ice. "But dude…" He said. "It can't be all that bad… It can't be any worse than a world without a friend…" The Doctor stopped speaking but he left the camera running and simply quirked an eyebrow.

Even after nine months, that still stung.

*--*--*

"So…" Captain Hammer said, hands on hips, chest jutted out. Classic Hero Pose.

"So..?" Horrible answered him, pointing the ray at him.

"How in the hell do you expect to get out of this?" Hammer asked him. They were surrounded by cops, ten deep. There were cars, helicopters, even a tank.

"I don't…" Horrible said, calmly. He flipped a switch and the gun morphed and Hammer could see it now had two barrels: One facing him, the other pointing in the opposite direction, at the person firing the gun.

"I- I-" Hammer stuttered.

"To Valhalla…" Horrible said with a slight smirk.

And Hammer realised, finally, that the blog entry, that the very last line, that wasn't directed at him.

He wasn't the only one without a friend.

Horrible fired.


End file.
